Nut-locking device for rail-joints.



A. D. SIMPSON.

NUT LOCKING DEVICE FOR RAIL JOINTS.

APPLICATION FILED, JUNE-9, 1909.

951,291. Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

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NUT-LOCKING- DEVICE FOR RAIL-il'dIN'lS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 9, 1909. Serial No. 501,167.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT D. SIMISON, a cit zen of the United States, residing in Brighton, county of Washington, and State of Iowa, having invented a new and useful Improvement in Nut -'Locking Devicesfor Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specificatio The object ofmy invention is to provide a nut locking device for rail joints which will forma ti ht, flush, joint and which will not be a ected by the expansion or contraction of the steel.

A further object is to'provide'such a devicein a simple, strong, durable and inexpensive, construction.

My invention consists of certain details of construction, hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claimsand illustrated in .the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I shows a side elevation view of a rail joint fitted out with my device; Fig. II shows an end elevation view of the same, the rail being in section; Fig. III shows a plan view of the same, a ortion of the rail being broken away, and t e dotted lines in dicating the position of the parts of my device before they are bolted to the rail; Fig. IV shows detail views, in front and end elevations, of my nut lockin plates; Fig, V

shows a front elevation view of the take The numeral 14 indicates the take-up plate I employ, which consists of. one sheet ofsprin metal bent, as shown in Fig. VII, so

that m lan it presents a,wavy appearance. Pro'ectmg forwardl from each upper end of e plate is a hoo shaped fin er, or lug, 15 and 16. respectively, designe .for purposes hereinafter-set forth. This plate is provided with .a series of oblong shaped orifices, designed to receive the bolts" which connect the angle-irons to the rails, when the arts of my device are joined.

' T e numerals 17 and 18 indicate companionplates designed to be securedto the rails 10v and 11 respectively, said plates eaohbeing provided with rectangular recesses designed engage the nuts on the bolts on their respectiverails, as fully illus trated in Fig. I. These plates aredesigned to overlap, when the parts of mydevioe are joined, and the outer and inner surfaoe's frefspectively, at their joining ends are cut away, as shown, for the purpose OfI'BGGiV- ing each, other in makin the joi t, o as to present a flush straight oint, as illustrated. In each of these overlapping ends, I have provided oblong orifices, l9 and 20,1:especf, tively, designed as companions for receiving- Patented Mans, 1910.

a cylindrical 'lug 21-, on the plate 14.

upper andouter end of each of these are cut away, as shown, to receive their respective forwardly projecting hook ,jmembers on'the plate 14. The lug 21 is pro-' vided with a transverse orifice 22, designed to receive a key 23,; when the parts are plate 14 is designed to be of, such a size as 'to be ada tedlto engage the joined. The

entire vertical surface 0 which it is secured. In assemblmg'and securing the parts of the angle-iron,

my device and forming the rail joint the" angle-irons are first, secured, in the usual manner, to the rails. is obvious thattheorifices in theangle-irons throughwhich the securing bolts pass,'are oblong to permit'ofthe end expansion and contraction .of the rails, but as this is the usual and ordinary'construction for angle-irons,'I havenot illustrated these orifices. The take-up plate I 14 is then placed in position, the ends ofv'the" connecting bolts prqecting through their-re.

spective oblong orifices, and these orifices" being companions to their respective orifices in the angle-irons are designed to be exactly similar to, and in line with them.- By con-.

struction the'waves in this spring mkeup plate are soarranged thatthe orifices are 1n the waves which project outwardly from the,

side ot'the. rail. The nuts are then'placed on the connecting bolts and I screwed homeuntil the waves are practically out of the plate, thus obviously spring metal take-u forcing the spring t erein from its normal position and firmly clamping the plate to the angle-iron. The locking plates are then placed in position *onthe take-up plate, the

hooked members engaging the recesses therenuts, or taps, and the overlapping members in, as shown in Figs. I and II, and the rec tangular recesses engaging their respective the hooked members on the plate let which engage the ends of their respective plates.

The end expansion and contraction of the rails is, obviously, provided for by the oblong slots in the angle-irons, take-up plates and the companion nut lock plates, as by this construction the lastnamed plates are enabled to pull away from each other and Still]. maintain their' relative positions to their respective parts and not affecting the locking of the nuts.

As the take-up plate is constructed of spring metal, which, in its normal condition, is bent in wavy form, as shown in Fig. VII, and in its clamped position to the rail is fiat or practically straight, as shown in Fig. III, itis obvious that when any lateral contraction occurs the Waves in the plate will flare out and maintain its clamped position to the nuts on the bolts, thus maintaining a rigid and solid rail joint. As the said plate is slotted, as hereinbefore described, it is apparentthat the end expansion or contraction of the rails will have no eliect upon the operation ofthis plate as a take-up for lateral contraction.

Having thus described my invention what.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a nut locking device for a rail joint a spring metal take-up plate, secured to one of the angle-irons, said plate being provided with oblong orifices to receive the securing bolts; companion plates, secured to said spring metal plates, and overlapping at their inner ends, said overlapping portions being provided with oblong orifices in line with each other, and said plates also being provided with rectangular recesses to receive the 'nutsof the bolts secured in their respective rails; a cylindrical lug secured to the spring metal plate and designed to project through the oblong orifices in the comesnaei panion plates and a key to hold said plates thereon, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a nut locking device for a rail joint a spring metal take-up plate. provided with oblong orifices to receive the securing bolts, clamped to one of the angle-irons; nut locking plates, provided with rectangular r"- cesses to receive the nuts on their respective bolts, said plates overlapping at their inner ends and provided with oblong orifices in said overlapping portions; means to secure said plates together, for slidable movement, and also to secure them to the take-up plate, all arranged and combined substantially as shown and described. I

3. In a rail joint, a take-up plate formed of a strip of spring metal bent so to gently curve in and out and being provided with oblong orifices to receive the bolts securing the angle-irons to the rail ends',outwardly projecting hooked members at each upper end of said plate: an outwardly projecting lug, provided with a transverse orifice, centrally located on said plate, srbstantiall as shown and described.

at. In a nut locking device for a rail joint. the combination of a take-up plate formed of spring metal bent in and out, and oblong orifices therein, to receive the bolts securing the angle-irons to the rails; a hook shaped member extending outwardly from each end of said take-up plate; a lug, provided with a transverse orifice, cent ally located on said plate; nut locking plates, provided with rectangular recesses to receive the respective nuts on their securing bolts, overlapping at their central portions. and provided with oblong, companion orifices to receive the lug on the take-up plate, and each also provided with a recess to receive the hooked member on its respective side of the take-up plate: a key to engage the transverse orifice in the aforesaid lug, all arranged and combined substantially as shown and described.

ALBERT D. SIMPSON. Witnesses: C. Loronnzv, H. A. I-Luerrr. 

